Maze minister will be youngest Presbyterian Moderator

Rev William Henry received the most votes of the church’s 19 presbyteries, which met independently tonight to elect a successor to the current Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen.

He will be formally elected Moderator by the Church’s General Assembly in June, and until then will be known as the Moderator-Designate.

Along with Rev Henry, Rev David Bruce, Secretary to PCI’s Council for Mission in Ireland, Rev Albin Rankin of Stormont Presbyterian and Rev Mairisíne Stanfield of First Presbyterian Church, Bangor were also nominated.

Reacting to his election, Rev Henry said he was “deeply honoured” to have been chosen.

The Belfast-born father-of-three added that is looking forward to his year in office and “being used by God to bring encouragement to the wider church, particularly to the leadership and younger ministers”.

He continued: “Recognising that I myself entered ministry at an early age, and benefited from the assistance and advice from those older than me, I would now wish to do the same for others.

“I expect that I will learn even more than I am personally able to contribute, but I anticipate gaining insights into the complexities of ministry and mission in specific areas and be able to highlight positive messages of how God is working in local contexts.”

Rev Henry will be the denomination’s 174th Moderator since 1840.